DIY Homegating Decorations: No-Sew Fabric Decor Three Ways

I had a sewing machine for three years and never used it because I often found myself taking the easy way out with no-sew binding tape to make simple party decorations. Using fabric as a decorative element at your party is simple, and is a great way to capture the theme of your party when ready-made fabric options simply don’t coordinate and your sewing skills are lacking.

For this series, I wanted an all-American theme that would work for cheering on our home team, the Dallas Cowboys, and our patriotic summer parties. I used 4 fabric styles -- 2 printed, 3 solid -- to create this look, but you can use a single pattern, or let your imagination guide you to a coordinated collection. The directions below are for a 4-pattern bunting string. I made a 30-foot bunting string using 5 yards of fabric and 4 spools of no-sew binding tape that took around five hours to create, and cost me less than $20.

If time is not on your side, creating a Simple Table Runner takes less than 15 minutes because all you are doing is cutting a rectangle shape and then ironing straight edges.

Another great alternative is to create a rag garland by tying knots of fabric onto a piece of rope to make a Fabric Garland; a project so simple that I often enlist our children to create this for us. This project is such staple in our home, that I frequently have the materials set up at family parties and offer it as a party activity for children looking for something crafty to do.

Supplies

For the Bunting:

A cardboard triangle shape

Scissors (or a fabric cutting tool)

Ruler (or fabric cutting edge)

Fabric pen

No-sew binding tape

Iron

Fabric pins

Fabric starch (optional)

Directions

Step 1: Cut a triangle shape out of cardboard. Traditionally bunting is 6 inches from center top to center bottom with a length that is longer than the triangle is wide; but you can use any shape triangle you like to create bunting that fits with your needs.

Step 2: Lay your fabric flat, and then use your fabric pin to trace out the triangle onto your fabric.

Step 3: Once all your triangles are complete, cut them out.

Step 4: Place 2 triangles against one another and then position the no-sew binding tape in-between the two pieces and then pin 3 pins to secure the corners of the fabric.

Step 5: Iron each triangle, removing the pins before you apply the heat. Taking care to iron each triangle until the seals are created in the fabric.

Step 6: Once all the triangles are sealed, cut out a long rectangle shape to use as a ribbon to create the bunting. Place a strip of no-sew tape along the bottom edge of the rectangle, position the triangle in the bottom half edge of the triangle, and repeat until your rectangle strip is full of triangles.

Step 7: Place another strip of no-sew tape across the top of each triangle, fold over the rectangle and iron the strip in place. The heat from the iron will secure the top rectangle layer, and gently warmed the bottom layer of no-sew tape.

Step 8: Gently flip over the bunting, and iron the back facing rectangle strip to the triangles to complete the bunting.

Step 9: If your desired length of bunting is longer than your rectangle strip, use no-sew tape to bind the lengths of bunting together.

*Apply fabric starch while ironing if you want a more stiff bunting appearance.

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